This blog contains a series of movie segments to be used to brainstorm, warm up, follow up, and activate schemata, preparing the students for the topic that will be discussed in class. Here you will find the segments, the lesson plans, and varied topics to foster conversation. You may use the activities for a full two-hour class or they can be used separately to brainstorm or wrap up the topic, focusing on conversation, vocabulary and listening comprehension.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Both films are wonderful Edward Scissorhand is a classic and you can use it in many different manners. Sin City is fantastic. Its cartoonish view and colors are gripping and breathtaking. I decided to use it to warm up classes on styles, its preconceptions and implications. I hope you like it.

A. Watch the segment and answer the following questions about the characters in the movie Edward Scissorhands.

A. Talk to a partner:

1) What can you say about the character's life styles, according to the way they look like?

2) Try to think about the daily routines of the ladies in the segment. What is their everyday life like?

3) Why did they like their new looks so much? Did you like them?

4) What about their clothes colors? Do they mean anything to you?

5) What's your opinion about their style? Do you like it? Why (not)?

6) Would you wear their clothes and hairstyles?

B. Now watch a segment from Sin City. Pay attention to the characters clothes and fashion style in order to answer the following questions. Make guesses based on their looks. Talk to a partner and come to an agreement.

1) Are they rich? Explain your answer.

2) Where are they? What do their clothes say about the place they are at that moment.

3) In your opinion, is smoking classy or corny? What about in this segment? How is smoking connected with their life style?

4) Why are her dress, lip and eye colors the only ones you can see in the segment? Why does that happen? Why are they so flashy?

5) What do their haircuts say about them?

6) Was the end unexpected to you? Come up with a creative alternative ending for the scene.

7) Share your alternative endings and choose your favorite one to role play to the class.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Talking about 9/11 is very controversial and points of view vary from country to country. However, it is a theme with a lot of food for thought and the students enjoy talking about it because they always have a lot to share. I tried to be as neutral as possible, but you may adapt the lesson plan to your reality. I just used this activity this week and the students were very excited and argumentative during the whole class. I hope you like it.

A. Work in small groups.

1. What do you know about the the terrorist attacks on September 11th?

2. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing when they happened?

3. What's your opinion about what happened?

4. Has life around the world changed because of that? How so?

5. How exactly did life change in your country? Did it affect you or somebody you know somehow?
B. Watch the first segment from the film Fight 93 now and discuss the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene

2. What do the terrorists look like?

3. What about the passengers? How did they react at first? Did they change their behavior as the scene developed?

4. What's your opinion about the terrorists acts? Are they right or wrong? Explain it?

Now watch the second segment from the movie Crossing Over and answer the questions:

1. Describe the scene.

2. What's the Muslim girl's point of view of the September 11th acts of terrorism?

3. How did the American students react to her point of view?

4. What's your opinion about what she believes in?

5. Who's right and who's wrong?

6. Was she right to make such a comment in America during a class with a lot of American students? Why (not)?

7. Americans often say that America is a free country. Do you agree with it? Can anybody actually say what they want wherever they want in America? Explain it.

8. What about where you live? Can one express his/her opinions freely? Explain it.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I enjoyed watching this thriller with a lot of cultural references. The movie is about drug trafficking in Russian trains and how a naive American couple of tourists get involved with it during a trip abroad. In fact, the director portraits Russians in a way I don't think they are. If you are Russian, will you please make a comment about how you see the way stereotyped Russians are shown and how you feel about this way of portraying your people, please? What did the train attendant say in Russian?? I'd love to know. Being Brazilian, I'm very familiar with stereotyped Brazilians on the Hollywood screens! I hope you like it! By the way, don't miss reading my Russian reader's review on the movie - he criticizes it severely - because it will help your discussion with your students. Thanks, pal!

A. Ask a partner the following questions:

1. Do you like to travel? What was the best place you've ever been to?

2. Would you like to travel alone for many years to different places without coming back
home during the whole period? Why?

3. What is the best way to travel?

4. Have you ever been abroad? Where did (would you like to) you go?

5. Are there places you wouldn't like to go? Why?

B. Now switch roles.

1. Have you ever traveled by train, plane, car and ship? Which one is your favorite?

2. What can go wrong when you travel to another country?

3. Is it important to know the culture of the other country when you go abroad? Why?

4. Do you know anything about the Russian culture? How do you imagine they treat tourists there?

5. Would you like to travel to Russia? What would you like to do there?
C. Watch the movie segment. Then form small groups to talk about the questions that follow.

.

1. What were the unexpected things the American travelers faced in this short period of their trip?

2. What do you think the Russian train attendant told the couple about the toilet?

3. What idea did you get from the Russians based on the segment?

4. Do you think it is a stereotyped view of the Russian people or even a caricature of their people? Explain it.

5. Would you like to take a trip like that? Why (not)?

D. Each half the class will work on one of the questions below.

Make a list of 5 precautions you would take to reach your destination safely if you were the couple in the segment?

Make a list of 5 precautions you would recommend a woman traveling by herself in your country?

MY OTHER BLOG

Movie Segments to Assess Grammar Goals

About Me

I'm a teacher at Casa Thomas Jefferson, Brasilia, Brazil. I'm a Branch Coordinator and Teacher Trainer as well. I really like movies and seeing them with "different" eyes, trying to see how I can use them in my classroom. Recently, I have dedicated my ideas to grammar activities with movie segments because, apparently, teachers use movies for many purposes, but grammar. Working with movie segments fosters students' production and interest. I truly believe that grammar exercises should be attractive. I have just developed a new blog for movie segments to enhance topic based classes, focusing on conversation, listening comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. If you have suggestions for the blogs and the activities, just say it!

Casa Thomas Jefferson

O Inglês Como Deve Ser

Welcome

The main purpose of this blog is to share activities to enhance the teacher's lesson plan. They will not replace the course book, but they will make the lessons more attractive and richer. Share your warm-up activity with movie segments too. You may email it to me at claudioazevedo@thomas.org.br and the activity will be credited to you with a link to your own site if it's the case. Give me suggestions for topics and segments too, please. Isn't sharing just fantastic?